A statement condemning warlordism in Mt Province

HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon

(This column prints this public statement from concerned people of Mountain Province earlier circulated)

Statement condemning warlordism, the partial arrest and release of gun ban violators in Bunot , Paracelis and calling for rule of law to prevail in Mountain Province:

The May 2010 elections saw the manifestation of guns, goons, and gold in Mountain Province. Warlordism and terrorism has taken its toll in peaceful Mountain Province. We especially take note of the direct and/or indirect involvement of incumbent governor and congressional elect-Maximo Dalog for violation of provisions of Election Laws, violation on his oath of Candidacy to obey all laws of the Philippine Republic, and disregard of the Mt. Province candidates’ Covenant on Peaceful and Clean Elections which the governor personally signed.

It is unfortunate for our province to experience this turmoil during the very recent May 2010 election employed by one of the candidates for the congressional position. Mountain Province is now likened to the province of Abra and Maguindanao that during the very recent elections, guns and goons are being utilized.

We especially take note of the confiscation of firearms loaded in three vehicles at sitio Ampekla, barangay Bunot, Paracelis involving eight persons including the son of Governor Maximo Dalog and the nephews of the Governor’s wife.

That on May 11, 2010, three persons – Fangkingan Lomong-oy, Mariano Yawan, and Florizel Mi-ing- all residents of Bontoc, Mountain Province and related by affinity to Maximo Dalog – were apprehended by elements of Charlie company of 54rth IB of the Philippine Army led by Lt Alvin Dagondon. Said persons were driving three convoy cars carrying 6 firearms and live ammunitions when they were apprehended.

Surprisingly, the incident report does not include all occupants in the same cars including a son of the Governor, despite controllable situations for all occupants of the cars to be arrested and included in the police report. This was made more revealing when Police Inspector Dexter Mariano Paredes was finally named in the charges filed by the Philippine Army at the Provincial Fiscal’s office for illegal possession of firearms and violating the COMELEC’s regulation on gun ban.

We take note of the glaring findings that one of the guns confiscated, a high powered 556 Colt, is registered to Maximo B. Dalog as shown in a certification by the Firearms and Explosives Division of the National Police Commission. The other firearms are yet to be established as to their ownership and how these came into the possession of those arrested.

While we commend the work of arresting officers from the Philippine Army to have intercepted those arrested for violating the gun ban rule, we forward our strong criticism on the Philippine Army’s whimsical and partial arrest and disregard of the law by not including all occupants of the confiscated cars, and by not signing affidavits of arrests which led to the eventual release of those arrested.

The Philippine Army’s mandate to keep the law is contaminated with their obvious intents to favor someone in position thus making a mockery of the law and thwarting their duties to keep the elections in Mountain Province honest and peaceful.

This glaring disregard of the rule of law cannot be tolerated. It breeds unrest, unpeace, and violence. Nor does Mountain Province allow a culture of guns and goons to persist and be tolerated. The people of Mountain Province known for their peaceful nature and close kinship and community ties cannot allow this province to go into a culture of impunity, violence and warlordism.

In the interest of transparency, peace and order, and the rule of law, we call on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP),and the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) to conduct an investigation the soonest possible time on events surrounding the arrest and release of gun ban violators in Bunot, Paracelis, and ensure that no one is above the law.

Concerned people of Mountain Province